Make Nice Mission: Pollinator Placemat

The butterfly was one of Catherine Violet Hubbard's favorite animals. Jenny, Catherine's mom, remembers watching as "she would cup a butterfly in her tiny hands and whisper to it as it took flight." She would tell the butterfly to let its friends know that she was kind so that they would come back. "Not surprisingly," Jenny says, "we would be mesmerized by the flocks of butterflies that fluttered through our gardens."

Butterflies are just one of the incredible animals that pollinate our backyard. As they land on flowers pollen attaches to their feet. Once they decide to take flight, the pollen drops off and spreads throughout the yard. This encourages the garden to grow. Other pollinators include bees, hummingbirds and bats.

If you aren't able to make a trip to the sanctuary, you can use this project at home with your kids to teach them about the beauty of the animals we see in our backyard and learn about what they do to help our world grow. We've made it extra easy for you by providing printable templates and step-by-step instructions below!